Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Revisions in the WIC Food Packages

This final rule considers public comments submitted in response to the proposed rule revising the WIC food packages published on November 21, 2022. It revises regulations to align the WIC food packages with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and to reflect recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine while promoting nutrition security and equity and considering program administration. The changes are intended to provide WIC participants with a wider variety of foods that align with the latest nutritional science; provide WIC State agencies with greater flexibility to prescribe and tailor food packages that accommodate participants' special dietary needs and personal and cultural food preferences; and address key nutritional needs to support healthy dietary patterns. This rule provides foods in amounts that are more consistent with the supplemental nature of the Program; encourages fruit and vegetable consumption; and strengthens support for individual breastfeeding goals to help establish long-term breastfeeding.